The Zamfara State Factional House of Assembly has today charged governor Dauda Lawal to establish three IDP camps in the state following the failure of his administration to fulfil one of its cardinal campaign promises to end armed banditry in the state.
In a motion moved by Hon. Ibrahim Tudu Tukur, member representing Bakura State Constituency, he said governor Dauda Lawal has steadily allowed the escalation of insecurity in the state while abandoning displaced persons to roam the streets of towns begging for what to eat without any help in sight from the state government after it failed to protect their lives, property and businesses.
Tudu, who suggested the setting up of one IDP camp in each of the three Senatorial Districts of the state, explained that the measures will give the displaced persons a sense of belonging and save them from continued vulnerability.
He accused the governor for not holding regular security meetings with heads of security agencies who could come up with superior approach on how to tackle the situation nor is he ever ready to listen to other critical stakeholders on other ways to handle the menace.
The concerned member further noted that with the establishment of the IDP camps, the bandits terrorised victims will have access to provision of good healthcare while their children can go to school with the government having accurate data and location of the IDPs.
Also, in their separate contributions, Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru representing Maru North, Hon. Mukhtaru Nasiru Kaura representing Kaura Namoda North and Hon. Bashir Bello Sarki Zango representing Bungudu West said within one week, many villages including Madira, Dayau, Daba in Kaura Namoda, Kwaren Ganuwa, Musawa Kalgo, Raka inside Tsafe Metropolis in Tsafe local government, Yar-Galma in Bukkuyum local government and Danmagori town of Bungudu local government were attacked but not a single sympathy visit was carried by the state government which they said is condemnable.
The law makers lamented how the state government ordered the arrest of some residents of Madira village of Kaura Namoda local government area just because they carried out a peaceful protest to the Emir of Kaura Namoda’s palace over persistent killings of innocent people in their communities.
Those arrested were accused of destroying flowers at the Emir’s and are being held at the State Police CID in Gusau without any other charges as if the flowers are better than humans.
Similarly, the parallel Assembly under Gummi accused governor Dauda Lawal and the former Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki of diverting the sum of 800 million monthly in the name of special assignment describing it as ‘coordinated corruption’ aimed at syphoning Zamfara tax payers’ for their selfish reasons.
This came under ‘matter of public importance’ moved by the House Minority Leader, Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara of Mafara South Constituency.
Kagara urged the House to investigate the duo of the former Speaker Moriki and governor Dauda Lawal over the matter.
Contributing, Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara representing Maradun 1, Hon. Amiru Ahmed Keta Member representing Tsafe West and Hon. Barr. Bashir Abubakar Masama representing Bukkuyum North said the monthly N800 million which have now been removed to personal accounts for the period of 23 months, if judiciously utilised, would have saved the state capital, Gusau from its current perennial water shortage which have forced residents to buy a 25 litre jerry can at between N300 and N500.
They opened that part of the money and would have done a lot of other things that would move the state forward.
The Speaker, Bashir Aliyu Gummi, then referred the matter to the House Adhoc Committee for investigation with the report to be forwarded to EFCC and ICPC for further investigation and prosecution.
Lastly, the Gummi led Assembly condemned in clear terms the attitude of governor Dauda Lawal’s administration in abandoning Zamfara students in Cyprus forcing them into terrible labour jobs and facing embarrassing deportation threats despite their parents’ pleas on the government to settle their outstanding school fees.
They particularly lamented how the female students were made to face such hardship querying that if they were the governor’s daughters if he’d allow them like this, “instead, the governor used the same state government money to attend the graduation ceremony of his son in the United kingdom along with his family, friends and associates.
The House called on human rights groups and other civil society organisations and the federal government to intervene and save the students who have turned marauders in Cyprus.
The motion was moved by Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru representing Maru North Constituency.
The House then adjourned, sitting to its next legislative day..
